


We'll Meet (Again)

by naturallesbain



Category: The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Character Death, Fluff, Multi, canonical character death but later, sorry lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:27:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29572476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naturallesbain/pseuds/naturallesbain
Summary: Request:Jally slow dancing to we'll meet againI watched my brother cry to this so enjoy!
Relationships: Darrel Curtis/Tim Shepard, Johnny Cade/Dallas Winston, Marcia/Two-Bit Mathews, Ponyboy Curtis/Curly Shepard
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	We'll Meet (Again)

Christmas eve of 1969

It was snowing, rare for Oklahoma. The white powder had fallen in thick sheets all week, causing schools and work to close. Everyone was excited, though staying inside wasn't everyone's forte, though they made the best of it. These people were the Curtis gang, rowdy and rambunctious. They weren't used to being inside, which caused unrest. 

Luckily, the radio station was still up and running, soothing voices would filter through the house as records started and radios stopped. It was beautiful, really, something they could finally all agree on. All of them danced through the night, teaching each other dance moves and just enjoying spending the holidays together. 

It was especially true for Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston, who had been close friends through nearly everything. Their bond was something unmatched. Over the years, the two had taken a liking to dance, though they couldn't do it well. With Johnny's back and Dallas's terrible footing, the two struggled through a slow dance, but it was worth it. 

So they swayed to We'll Meet Again by Vera Lynn, they held each other close, whispering love-sick words that ignited a fire in each other's chests and left the other feeling like a puddle of love. It was the first time they realized they might like each other more. 

November 1986.

It was cold again, though not in Oklahoma. Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston were in New York, enjoying their lives together. They had been able to get steady, well-paying jobs, something nobody back home had expected. It felt great to be able to work and provide for themselves. 

They had bought a beautiful home, surrounded by trees, and a lake nearby guaranteed a peaceful, quiet life for however long they lived there. The trees guaranteed wood, and the lake promised fun during the winter and summer. 

It was winter now, snow falling thickly on the ground, and fires were lit in fireplaces. Both Dallas and Johnny thanked their childhoods for teaching them how to bear the cold and how to build fires because they wouldn't know how they would survive a winter there without it. 

They had lit a fire in their fireplace and had gotten enough logs to last them a week. They had watched a few movies on their television, curling up together on the couch, but nothing entertained them as dancing did. They still danced to every song they knew. Songs like At Last, Jailhouse Rock, and We'll Meet Again. It reminded them of complicated times where they didn't know whether or not they were going to see each other again, or whether or not one jail stunt would be that last. However, they put that all aside when they danced. They danced away the worries and memories, soothing each other with soft kisses and touches through emotional moments. 

They swayed through the night, stopping for coffee or hot chocolate, but they were never apart for long. 

May 2006. 

The soft sounds of a mourning piano filtered through Dallas's ears as he sat in a hardwood church pew. He didn't want to be there, nor did he want to accept what had happened, but he knew that it was for the better. 

Johnny Cade had died peacefully with his husband's arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace as he let go. They both had known that that day had been coming for a while, though neither cared. They carried on like every day was their last, going out to restaurants and going to bed with their stomachs stuffed full, something they have never taken for granted. Every living day felt like a dream come true to the other, but dreams always have to come to an end. 

So there Dallas sat, listening to the preacher talk about Johnny's life, the successes and struggles while his old friends sat around them, or at least those who were still with them. 

Darrel Curtis had lived a long life with Tim. Darrel had passed three years earlier, and Tim had gone with him shortly after that. 

Two-Bit Mathews lived a long life, too. He had gotten with Marcia and had two children, who had grandchildren who attended every get-together. Marcia and Two-Bit died in each other's arms five years ago. 

The rest were alive and well. Attending the funeral had brought tears to the eyes of each other as they relived the past, telling heartwarming stories and sharing overdue hugs. 

"Remember Dal, just because he's gone, doesn't mean he isn't still with you," Ponyboy had said after the funeral. He had taken Dallas's hand, shaken it, and hugged him. 

Dallas had thought about that advice, that statement that he didn't know how to respond to as Pony and Curly walked off to their car to return to Virginia. 

He had come to many conclusions, though one stuck out to him the most. It had come to him as he lie in bed, breathing softening and body relaxing as he realized that Johnny was never going to be gone, his memory kept him alive. 

And as he slowly slipped into unconsciousness, he managed a weak smile as his song played on the radio. 

"We'll meet again"

"Don't know where"

"Don't know when"

"But I know we'll meet again some sunny day"


End file.
